Goose In the Puddle Bound!

Way back in August of 2013, I pieced Bonnie Hunter's Goose in the Puddle.  I used secondhand shirts for most of the quilt.  After I finished the top, I put it away until November last year when I took it to my longarmer.  Today I got it machine bound.

This quilt is 87"x 70 1/2".  I think this will be a graduation gift for one of my nephews.

The longarming was done by Vicki Johnson at Threads That Bind Us.  http://www.threadsthatbindusquilting.com/

If I were to make this quilt again, I would choose a dark red or navy fabric for the binding.  The red check is ok, but I think I'd rather have a solid binding.  I'd also reconsider the red flannel backing.  The flannel makes the quilt soft and cosy, but it also picks up every stray thread, dog hair and lint.

Linking up:  http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-trio-of-pincushions.html

http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-progress-15/

http://persimondreams.blogspot.com/p/scrap-quilt-challenge.html

En Provence Top

I finally finished piecing En Provence yesterday afternoon and tried to get a picture of it, but the light was too bad.  I decided to wait until today, but it is another gray, rainy day, and the light isn't much better today.  I turned on all the lights in the room, opened all the blinds on four big windows and brought in a lamp from another room.  Still the light isn't great.  But here is my version of En Provence:

This quilt is 87"x 87".

I like my color selection as well as Bonnie's this time, but I would have  liked it better if I'd used HSTs in place of the big purple squares.  I've seen versions using the HSTs, and they look great!  I'm so glad to get this one finished.  I worked hard on it all month, but my progress was very slow.

Linking up:
http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/2017/01/finished-or-not-friday-linky-party_27.html

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/02/mystery-monday-link-up-finale.html

Stash Report

Used this week: 8.25 (Stars Around the Corner Backing)
Used year to date: 8.25
Added this week: 0
Added year to date: 13.25
Net  Added: 5.0

We got a last minute invitation to a friend's father's 85 birthday dinner. A gift was optional, but 85 is a milestone birthday.   I decided to give him a quilt I made for my nephew's graduation. My nephew won't graduate for a year and a half, so I have time to make him another.    My friend's dad was so appreciative.  He remarked on how long it must have taken me, and how much he liked it.  He thanked me over and over.   My friend said that the first thing he did after the party was to put the quilt on his bed.  He told her it was the nicest gift he had ever received. His reaction made me so happy!

 I wish I'd thought to take a picture of him holding up his quilt, but I didn't.  I do have a picture of the quilt, though.

Hal's quilt:

Surrounded By Scraps

I finished the first clue of Charlotte's 2017 mystery quilt, Surrounded By Scraps.  This was a labor intensive clue:  48 four patches (2 inch finished) and 48 nine patches (3 inch finished).  It took me most of the day to get them done.

If you want to join in, http://www.charlottehawkesquilts.com/drum-roll-here-goes/

En Provence Progress

I've done a lot of En Provence sewing the past week and a half, but I must be much slower than most quilters since I still have a lot to go, and I've seen several people who have already completed their tops.  This week I want to get the sashing sewn.

I chose different colors than Bonnie.  Where she has purple/lavender, I have navy/blue.  Where she has yellow, I have  purple, and where she put green, I put a light bluish green.  My colors aren't showing up great in the pictures because of the light. It is very overcast here.  In person, my quilt isn't pastel!

As I was sewing these blocks together, I wondered how I ever made a Bonnie Hunter mystery  without a design wall.  I've only had a design wall for a year and a half, but it has changed the way I quilt.  I don't have to do as much ripping since I can see the blocks on the wall as I work on it, and I'm less likely to get things turned in the wrong direction.

Linking up:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6-7.html

http://www.shecanquilt.ca/2017/01/the-january-scraptastic-tuesday-link-is.html

January Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Purple is the color for this month, and I made my usual 5 1/2 inch string blocks.

That's about it for this month's RSC since I"m out of purple strings.  I went ahead and took inventory of all my purple string blocks, and I have 28 total.  After I get En Provence sewed up I want to decide on a string quilt and do something with all of my string blocks.  I have already made a bunch of blue, orange, green and yellow 5 1/2 inch string blocks too.

Linking up: http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2017/01/scraphappy-saturday-2017-1.html

Stash Report, Charity Quilts

Sometimes you have to buy fabric to use fabric, and this week I bought fabric:  backing for my Stars around the corner quilt, fat quarters for a new project and fabric for the body of a pillow case.  I'm taking a quilt to the longarmer today, so some of that will soon be counted as yards used.

Used this week: 0
Used year to date: 0
Added this week: 13.25
Added year to date: 13.25
Net  Added: 13.25

I have been sewing up a storm this week, working on En Provence (10 blocks made), RSC (3 purple blocks made, and keeping up with Kathryn Kerr's 365 Block Challenge  http://www.365challenge.com.au/   I found out about the 356 Block Challenge last year but had too much on my plate to join in.  I kept all the block e-mails, though, and started it Jan. 1.  I have been able to work a bit ahead because I have the block patterns already, but I don't want to rush through this one.

I'm also waiting on Charlotte's first mystery clue to come out (next week, maybe) and a new ruler I'm getting for my birthday tomorrow.  How do I know I'm getting a new quilt ruler?  I bought it myself and my DH wrapped it.  The only surprise is whether I would get it for Christmas or my birthday.

I gave 4 unquilted tops to my friend Holly, who keeps me well supplied with her scraps.  She is having them quilted by Virginia Longarm, and then they will be donated to a women's shelter.  Good bye to:


Charlotte's second mystery quilt, Scrap In a Box:

Gypsy Wife:

Celtic Solstice:

And Blue and Yellow quilt (Lady of the Lake variation):

Linking up:http://www.joscountryjunction.com/charity-quilt-i-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-my-friends/